When Dearborn got into the compact car business in 1960, Ford had the Falcon and Mercury had the Comet. They were basically the same under the skin, but the Comet had less rounded styling than Falcon and even some tailfins that shrunk by 1962. The Villager wagon with its simulated woodgrain side panels were perhaps the rarest, as they saw less than 2,400 copies built in ’62. This one is a trickle-down from a dentist that collected them, it resides in Union City, California (south of San Francisco), and it’s available here on eBay. Just the opening bid of $6,500 has been cast, with a reserve to be met. If you click the Buy It Now button, you can have it for $14,500.
The Comet enjoyed being in the Mercury line-up across two runs: 1960-69 and again from 1971-77. For the first two years (’60-61), the car was its own make, perhaps because Mercury thought a smaller car might negatively affect the brand. But by ’62 it all changed as the roster expanded to include an intermediate (Meteor). For the second run in the ‘70s, the Comet was a Mercury-branded version of the successful Ford Maverick
I love a car with a story, and the seller’s 1962 Comet Villager has one. The original owner was said to be a dentist in Southern California who collected Comets. When he passed, a mechanic bought the car from the estate in 2015 and it still carried its black license plates from a 1977 registration! The seller apparently has too many cars now and the herd needs thinning, so the wagon has to go. The odometer reads just over 50,000 miles.
The seller says this is a rust-free car, largely due to its California heritage and being a collection dweller over the years. We’re told that the body and undercarriage are solid, and the seller has more photos of the underpinnings than in the eBay listing. For those into patina, the car has plenty of it. If I were to restore it, I don’t know if I’d go with fake woodgrain or a two-tone paint job instead. But I’m not a fan of those silver/chrome fender skirts; they gotta go!
The original interior looks pretty sharp, from the upholstery, dashboard, and door panels. The seller says a new headliner and rubber window seals will come with the car, but they have not been installed. I was most impressed by the factory air conditioner hanging under the dash with Mercury branding. Not many cars were equipped that way in the early 1960s, so this Villager could be even more rare. The seller does not mention if it works, but the radio does.
Under the hood sits what should be the original 144 cubic inch version of Ford’s inline-six, which would eventually grow up to be a 200 later in the decade. The seller says it starts up and runs great after a tune-up was done and it’s being used as a daily driver right now. One interesting change is that the 2-speed automatic was swapped out for a 3-speed automatic in the last five years. We’re assuming something was amiss with the original and this tranny was already available. Bada Bing. The tires are newer and show practically no wear. If you message the seller, he’ll send you a video of the wagon doing its thing.
The seller is optimistic on his Buy It Now price as Hagerty suggests $15,000 is top dollar for a ’62 Comet, although a Villager might be worth a little more. But this one has a lot of charm the way it is and would probably be the only one at most any car show. Would you paint it or leave it alone?
Both front fenders appear to have been replaced, as they are both a lighter color than the rest of the car (the fake wood grain on them doesn’t match the rest of the car either).. It’s hard to tell from these pictures, but is that a little rot showing at the front of the door sills in both sides? The price seems high for what it is. A closer look seems in order before paying too much for this.
It’s rust free. He’s not charging you for the rust. All joking aside, subject to a proper inspection/test drive, it would seem to be a solid little car that could be a very sharp ride with a nice paint job. But $14.5k is nuts. I see it getting bid to perhaps $8k.
I’d say it’s rust free. What pictured could be taken care of in 30 minutes with a couple of sheets of sandpaper.
Compare that what many sellers claim is “rust free” in the Midwest or Northeast, to them that often means bubbles haven’t broken through the bondo and paint. Another good one is, little rust for it’s age.
This car isn’t far from where I live, you find 50’s-70’s cars with a similar look parked in driveways or side yards of almost every neighborhood. None or my friends, nor I would give that surface rust a second thought, they would be looking for real rust in the drip rails, fenders, spare tire storage area and the base of side and rear windows.
Steve R
I’m with you Steve. None of us in the midwest would give that “rust” a second glance either. No big deal!
got a 250/4.1 and aod for it. Needa waggy & this is right sized…hummm 3K mi away? More’n $6,5 and headed to $14,5…nawh, not in this shape, that far away.
The Comet was not initially badged as a Mercury because it was intended to be an Edsel, and was de-Edselized at the last minute when the full size Edsels were cancelled.
Photos of the likely close-to-production Edsel Comet styling exist. It would not take too much to make this into a what-if Edsel — a little grille fabrication, Edsel badging, and I would also swap in the ’60 wagon taillights and have an upholsterer make new center panels for the seatbacks with an “E” embossed as was done with the full size Edsels.
I believe the first two years of the Comet it didn’t even say Mercury. I’ve read that Mercury wasn’t interested in having the compact in its lineup until compact car sales began to take off
You are correct.. The comet was originally ment to be the new small Edsel. But when it bombed it was rebadged as the Comet and sold through Mercury division. But it wasn’t a Mercury until 1962
I can remember our 62 Comet wagon from childhood in the mid sixties, replaced with a 68 Fury wagon. The Comet was brown, no wood appliqué, and pretty basic. I still have the ‘bombsights’ off the front fenders. First one I’ve seen in some time, thanks for posting.
Looks like a fun project. Just right for my tribe. Sorry folks, but
the 144 and the skirts gotta go. Drop a well built 200 cube 6 in
it and call it done. Then you’ll have enough ponies to run the A/C and drive the car on the interstate without fear of getting
run over by something a lot more modern. I do think our seller
has inhaled waaay too many pot fumes to quote such a high
asking price. Bet you can get it for 5K or under if you wave
a wad of cash under his nose. How do you think I got my
Charger SXT.
Not bad for its age, and it’s fairly rare. I just hope whoever buys it loses those skirts–they were a parts store aftermarket add-on that look horrible on this `62. Except for cars designed to have skirts, like T-Birds, they do no justice to the car. Find some reproduction factory shelf paper for the sides and give it a decent paint job in the original sand beige, and convert the AC to the current freon used today. The interior looks good enough not to touch except a good cleaning.
Having owned one in mid-sixties, I can tell you with authority that with the air on you could beat its acceleration with a slow jog.
I was gonna say that, Oldog. A 144 with the AC running just sounds like a struggle. Slow but cool.
What is the box mounted on the driver side shock tower? Has wiring going back toward the firewall.
Interesting Comet, with paint and some other work it could be a fun ride. That Mercury-labeled air conditioner is cool (pun intended).
144, 170, 200 (& if not lookin close the 250) all look alike. Just the 240/300 stand out. The 170 came out in ’61 (it has Huge counter weights at crank), ran my Bronk for 33 yrs, I’m thinkin it’s probably that (2.8L). Thing would plow a full blade of heavy wet sno upa steep hill…
144, 170, 200 (& if not lookin close the 250) all look alike. Just the 240/300 stand out (& U’d never close the hood on the tall decked 250). The 170 came out in ’61 (it has Huge counter weights at crank), ran my Bronk for 33 yrs, I’m thinkin it’s probably that (2.8L). Thing would plow a full blade of heavy wet sno upa steep hill…
Hop it up? here:
https://www.vintageinlines.com/product-page/deposit-only-aluminum-head-package
Neat car but can’t believe what people are bidding on it already and the BIN price. It’s far from a showpiece and its a Comet, not a Colony Park, folks!
The suspension and some panels were used in the Australian Falcon in 65 to strengthen and revive a waivering Falcons sales because of poor builds making cars fall to bits on our roads and a 70 thousand miles reliability trial was run at the Ford’s testing ground at the Youyangs in the Stheastern state our country with professional CV drivers it was the resurgence of the Falcons fortunes and examples of the XP Falcon are commanding big prices even in poor condition
And when did Australia abolish the period?
Are you one of these correct punctuation pennants or do you have a different agenda?
I’m wondering, has anyone tried saving a vehicle with patina, by wrapping over it?
Looking at that sad under dash AC unit, surprised the seller didn’t put “just needs a charge!” Wonder what other treasures the dentist squandered away before he passed? This might be the bottom-hanging fruit of a very substantial collection. Black tags should be shown with the car, but I’m not sure ones from 1977 really have much going for them like some from 1962!
Great looking little car!! I would paint it put disc breaks at least on the front!! Then just drive the family around in it!! The six would stay and I’m sure the mileage would be great!!
I grew up with this car in my neighborhood. I don’t want to share the family name, but I will say the house it came from was on Tunney in Northridge Ca. The Dr., did not collect Comets, he was the original owner of two. Both ‘62s with factory air. The other was an S22.
He told me when I was a kid, he went to buy a brand new Continental, and got two Comets for the same price!!! He was a cool man. Had one of the first Toyota 4×4 trucks too!!!
If anyone has any questions that I can answer,
jim.bigfisch@gmail.com
I’ve known of this car my whole life.
Sat outside all throughout the 80’s in his driveway. When I was little, it was garaged, before his wife died